Extensible fire ladder and elevator



June-29, 1943. .M. HONIG ExTEusI LE EIEE LADDER AND ELEVATOR Filed July 18, 1941 FIG,- 4 j INVENTOR.

MORRIS Home ATTORNEY.

Patented June 29, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXTENSIBLE FIRE LADDER. AND ELEVATOR Morris Hom'g, Bronx, N. Y. ApplicationJuly 18, 1941, Serial No. 402,897

14 Claims.

My invention relates to extensible fire ladders and elevators for removing persons from burning buildings.

More particularly my invention is concerned with a safety device for preventing an elevator car from dropping in the event that its operating cable breaks or is unable to hold the car in elevated position.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a highly improved safety device of the character described which shall be quickly responsive I to the failure of the cable supporting the elevator car in raised position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a safety device of the character described whichshall be positive in operation, shall comprise relatively few and simple parts, and shall be highly rugged in construction and eflicient for the purposes set forth.

Other objects of my invention will in part-b obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. I The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application willbe indicated in the claims. 1

' This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 301,568 for Extension ladders and elevators, filed October 2'7, 1939, now Letters Patent No. 2,249,900, dated July 22, 1941. In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention, and wherein similar numbers apply to the same parts throughout the several N views,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view in section of an extended fire ladder and elevator embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3is an enlarged view of the portion of the apparatus shown in 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 3.

The apparatus consists essentially of a plurality of ladder sections extensible relative to one another, the lowermost section of which is swivelled on a suitable platform which may be mounted, as shown in my copending applications Serial No. 301,568 and Serial No. 335,026, upon a fire truck. Suitable means may also be provided as is further disclosed in my said applications to raise or lower the sectionsand to angularly elevate the ladder.

of the car I4 a pair of rollers 22.

event that the cable 20 breaks.

The uppermost section I of the ladder, which. is generally similar in configuration to the remaining ladder sections, comprises a pair of U- shaped channels II and I2 whose open sides face each other. ward face of the section and an elevator car I4 slidablyunderslung 'at the rear, said car being secured to a truck I5 which runs on the flanges I6 forming a part of the U-shaped channel members II and I2.

I A shaft II which is rotatably secured in a pair of brackets .l8 fastened to the top of the section I0 carries a pulley I9. Running on the pulley I9 is a cable which is operated from a suitable hoisting mechanism, -such as for example that shown and described in my copending applica tions and which serves to raise and lower the car I4.

The elevator car I4'-is generally rectangular in shape and is pivotally mounted'on the truck l5 by means of a shaft 2| securedto the truck and journalled in the upper part of the car I4'. The shaft 2| has mounted on its ends outside These rollers 22 run upon the outside of the, flanges I6 which serve as tracks. Upon theinside of the flanges I6 are another pair of rollers 23 which are. re; tata-bly mounted upon the truck I5. The lower end of the truck is provided with similar rollers 24 and 25 also running onthe flanges I6 in the] same manner as the rollers 22 and 23. It is thus seen that the truck I5 together withits rollers. 22 through 25 guide the car I4 in its up-anddown movement. I

Inaccordance with my invention I provid means to prevent the car I4 from dropping in the.

Such means comprises a bar 26 slidably held to the top of the car I4 by brackets 21 disposed at both sides of the car. These brackets are secured to the car and provide a limited vertical movement of the bar 26 with respect to the said car. The cable 20 is secured by a strap 28 to the middle of the bar 26. Since the weight of the car and all of its parts are supported by the bar 26, the bar normally is "disposed at its upper limit of movement in the brackets 21. Rotatablysecured in each of the side plates 29 and 30 of the truck I5 are a pair of shafts 3| which pass freely through the side walls of the car I4. .On the ends of the shafts 3I, disposed internally of the car I4, are fixedlymounted lever arms 32 which are pivotally secured to the bar 26 by means of j fixtures 33 bolted to saidbar and having a lower Rungs I3 are mounted on the forat e dto' said member, means winter I t ave slotted depending portion in which the arms 32 lie.

On the portion of the shafts 3| disposed externally 0f the car M are fixedly secured a pair of levers 34. One portion of the levers 34 comprises a rounded sector 35 of comparatively short radius and immediately adjacent this sector 35 is a brake shoe 36. To the outer end of each of the levers 32 is secured one end of a coil spring 31, the other endof which is secured to a bracket 38 mounted on the side of the car 14. Said spring will maintain the levers 32 in contact with the bottoms of the slots in the fixtures 33.

Due to the aforesaid construction -it is seen that, in the event that the cable 20 breaks, the

springs 31 will draw the bar 26 downward, caus'-' ing the levers 32 to rotate the shafts 3! in a clockwise direction (as viewed from Fig. 3). This said elevator is suspended from said cable, and braking means adapted to cooperate with said tracks, said braking means being rendered efiec tive upon operation of said resilient means.

3. For use with an elevator which is suspended from a lifting cabl and which moves along? tracks, a safety device to prevent said elevator from dropping in the event that said lifting cable no longer supports said elevator, said device com-- prising a member, said lifting cable being directly attached to said memberymeans to mount said member on said elevator for limited vertical movement relative thereto whereby said elevator will rotate the levers 34 in a clockwise direction and force the brake shoes 36 againsttl e flanges IS with a pressure'depending upon the strength of ,thejspringsltl. The'f'riction between the shoes 36 and the flanges jl'fipfrevnts the carfrom'dropf ping As'flongas thecable Zll'is unbroken the rupt 'the normal qperatim oftlre 'car' i t.

rt wiuihii'sj be s en that "there isjpro-vided a devicei'in which theseverajgl objects of "this in:

veritibn" areechievedi" and which is 'welladapted to meet the conditions of practicaluse:" I As Various possible "embodiments might be madebr the above memes) nd as 'various' chan abov

aar. i- ,w .M v tive and not in a limitingsen'sefi e's might beima ein" the embodiments set forth, it is to beunderstood "that all" rheiiri' setfort h' or sh wn in the accorn l gdrawingis to'be interpreted as illustra Having thusdescribed my invention, I claim as" ntf l'ides'irito' secure by Letters 'Patent n elevator which is suspended d eansisaid-"mmber being disposed cable is support ng td iirg'saidmember to the other extremef'ofits 1, said means being inefieetivetd move said oer against thewei'ght of' saidele'vator when said elevator issuspe'nded from "said cable, and

braking means adapted' to cooperate with said trabks'; sai'd" "braking means 'being renderedeff e'ctiv'e' upon operation of 'said actuating means.-

2; For usewi'th 'an'eleva'tor which suspended from'a lifting--cab1e-"andwhich moves along tracks, a'safety-device' to prevent said-elevator from dropping inthe event that said lifting cable no longer supports said elevator, said device-eomprising a member, aid lifting cable being directly attached to'sai d member means' to'rnount said member on saideleyator for limited vertical" movement relative thereto whereby said elevator is supported from said cable throughsa'id membe [and said means-said member being disposed at one extreme" of" its "limited travel :wheifsaid cableis said elevatoi resilient means to; urge saidfrneinber to the ther extrem or its travel} said means'bein'g ,irieffec' ve' to "movesaid matter against the wightbf said elevator -when its limited travel {when said elevator; 'ac'tuating' me ans is supported from said cable through said member and said means and said member is normally maintainedat its upper limit of travel, resilient means to urge said member towards its lower limit of travel, said'means being ineffective to move'said member against the weight of said elevator, friction mean adapted to cooperate witlif "'said tracks to brake said elevator, anda linkage" system'interconnecting said member and said friction means, said friction mean and said linkage" system being'so "constructed and "arrang d "as to brake said elevator when said elevator'is no longer supported by saidcableand: saidresilient means is thereby rendered effective"- to move said member.

4. For use with anelevator which'is suspended rfrorrra lifting-cable and which moves along tracksfia safety device'to prevent said elevator from dropping in the-event that said lifting cable I no longer supports said eleva-tor-ysaid device com prisinga membe'n'a bracket mounted on said ---elevat or,f-said 'mernberibeing supported. in said v braeket for j limited verticalreciprocation, said lifting cable being-directlyattached to said mem ber'wherebysaid-elevator is supported by said member and said member i normally main-n tained-at its upperlimit of travel relative to said bracket?means'to urge said member to its lower limit offtravel, said last 1 named means being incapa sf-while I said-elevator is "suspended fromf rting cabl to 'actuate said member, friction meansas'sociated with said elevator and adapted to'cooperate 'witli said trlack's to brake said ele-- vator, and means interconnecting'said' friction means and saidmeans I for urging said member down aid1y,='said-'friction means-and said intercor'ine means being so constructed and are ranged that' 'saidfriction means-will be rendered:

effectiv "to brake' sair'l elevator when said "cable no'flonger suspends said "elevator-and said means for inovirig'said-member downwardly becomes effec't ivel 5. For use with an elevator which is suspended fr'orn' a lifting cable and which moves along tlaeiag a -"'saf"ety device"to prevent said elevator l fromdropping in the event that said lifting cable- .nd longer'su'pport's said elevatorjsaid device comprising a member, a bracket'mountedon said elevator; said member being-supported in said bracket for limited vertical reciprocation, saidn lifting bable" beingattached to said member 1 whereby said elevator is supported'by said member' and said member is "normally maintained in its upper limit 'oftravel relative to said bracket,

me 'ns to urge said member to its lower limit of-traveL saidlast' named means being incapable whil sai'd elevatorissuspended fr'omsaid liftingcable to actuate said'memberfiriction means associatedwith said elevator and adapted to"co-- operate-"with -said tra'cksto'brake said elevator, arid means interconnectin said friction means i and said means for urging said memberdownwardly, said friction means and said interconnecting means being so constructed and arranged that said friction means will be rendered effective to brake said elevator when said cable no longer suspends said elevator and said means for moving said member downwardly becomes effective, said interconnecting means comprising a lever-pivotally connected to said member. -6. For use with an elevator which is suspended from a lifting cable and which moves along tracks, a safety device to prevent said elevator from dropping in the event that said lifting cable no longer supports said elevator, said device comprising a member, a bracket mounted on said elevator, said member being supported in said bracket for limited vertical reciprocation, said lifting cable being attached to said member whereby said elevator is supported by said member and said member is normally maintained in its upper limit of travel relative to said bracket, means to urge said member to its lower limit of travel, said last named means being incapable while said elevator is suspended from said lifting cable to actuate said member, friction means associated with said elevator and adapted to cooperate with said tracks to brake said elevator, and means interconnecting said friction means and said means for urging said member downwardly, said friction means and said interconnecting means being so constructed and arranged that said friction means will be rendered effective to brake said elevator when said cable no longer suspends said elevator and said means for ,moving said member downwardly becomes effective, said interconnecting means comprising a lever pivotally connected to said member and a brake shoe movable with said lever.

7. For use with an elevator which is suspended from a lifting cable and which moves along tracks, a safety device to prevent said elevator from dropping in the event that said lifting cable no longer supports said elevator, said device comprising a bar disposed at the top of and extending across said elevator, brackets at both sides of the elevator in which said bar is mounted for limited vertical movement, said lifting cable being directly attached to said bar, a spring at either side of the elevator to urge said bar downwardly, the combined efforts of said spring being insufficient to move said bar downwardly when said elevator is suspended from said cable, and means responsive to the downward movement of said bar when said elevator is no longer supported by said cable to brake said elevator, said last named means comprising a friction device operating against said tracks.

8. For use with an elevator which is suspended from a lifting cable and which moves along tracks, a safety device to prevent said elevator from dropping in the event that said lifting cable no longer supports said elevator, said device comprising a bar disposed at the top of and extending across said elevator, brackets at both sides of the elevator in which said bar is mounted for limited vertical movement, said lifting cable being directly attached to said bar, a spring at, either side of the elevator to urge said bar downwardly, the combined efforts of said spring being insufficient to move said bar downwardly when said elevator is suspended from said cable, means comprising a friction device operating against said tracks to brake said elevator, and a linkage system interconnecting said bar and said friction device.

9. For use with an elevator which is suspended from a lifting cable and which moves along tracks, a safety deviceto prevent said elevator from dropping in the event that said lifting cable.

no longer supports said elevator, said device comprising a bar disposed at the top of and extending across said elevator, brackets at both sides of the elevator in which said bar is mounted forlimited vertical movement, said lifting cable being attached to said bar, a spring at either,

side of the elevator to. urge said bar down-' wardly, the combined efforts of said spring being insufficient to move said bar downwardly when said elevator is suspended from said cable, meanscomprising a friction device operating against said tracks to brake said elevator,

and a linkage system interconnectingsaid bar and said friction device, said linkage system comprising a vertically slotted fixture associated with said member and a pivotally mounted arm slidably received in said slot, said arm being disposed adjacent the bottom of said slot.

10. For use with an elevator which is suspended from a lifting cable and which moves along tracks, a safety device to prevent said elevator from dropping in the event that said lifting cable no longer supports said elevator, said device comprising a bar disposed at the top of and extending across said elevator, brackets at both sides of the elevator in which said bar is mounted for limited vertical movement, said lifting cable being attached to said bar, a slotted fixture adjacent each end of said bar, a pair of levers, each of said levers being disposed in one of the slotted fixtures, a pair of shafts on which said levers are fixedly mounted, a brake shoe fixedly mounted on each of said shafts, said brake shoes being adapted to cooperate with said tracks, and a pair of springs mounted under tension between said elevator and said levers, said springs tending to urge said levers to the bottom of said slots and to move said bar to its downward limit of travel, whereby upon breaking of said cable said brake shoes will be urged into effective engagement with said tracks.

11. For use with an elevator which is suspended from a lifting cable and which is pivotally mounted on an elevator truck which moves along tracks, a safety device to prevent said elevator from dropping in the event that said lifting cable no longer supports said elevator, said device comprising a bar disposed at the top of and extending across said elevator, brackets at both sides of the elevator in which said bar is mounted for limited vertical movement, said lifting cable being directly attached to said bar, a shaft rotatably mounted in said truck, a lever fixedly mounted on said shaft, a brake shoe fixedly mounted on said shaft, said brake shoe being adapted to cooperate with said tracks, said lever being pivotally mounted on said bar, and a spring to move said bar downwardly, said spring being ineffective to move said bar as long as said elevator is suspended from said cable.

12. For use with an elevator which is suspended from a lifting cable and which is pivotally mounted on an elevator truck which moves along tracks, a safety device to prevent said elevator from dropping in the event that said lifting cable no longer supports said elevator, said device comprising a bar disposed at the top of and extending across said elevator, brackets at both sides of the elevator in which said bar is mounted for limited vertical movement, said lifting cable being directly attached to said bar,a shaft rotatably mounted in said truck, a lever fixedly 5f; mounted on said shaft, a brake shoe fixedly mountedon said'shaft;said brake since being adaptedto eooperate'with said track's, said lever beingpivotallymounted 'on said banand a spring mounted under tension between said elevator 'an'd said lever, said spring" being" ineffective to' move said-bar as long as said elevator "is suspended from said Cable V ""1 3'. In combination in an extensible fire ladder,

a plurality of elongated members movable along' th'ei'r l'ongitudinal axes relativeto one another;

apart of 1 each member" having" rungs-associated vide an extensible ladder, said members'also Ihaving traek parts which cooperate when the various members are relatively moved to form an extensible track which extends as far as the ladder, an underslung elevator'adapted to'ascend and descend said'ladderfand means onsai'delevat'oi for causing said elevator torid'e on said extensibletrack."

143A fire ladder as set forth in claim 13 wherein each of the members includesa pair of spaced, elongated webs having flanges extending from; opposite longitudinal "edgesthereof; the webs on-L each member beingheld in spaced parallel relationship' by the rungs, said members when the. ladder is'retracted being relatively nestably dis-i posed with the flanges and webs of adjacent: members in juxtaposed relationship the flangesi in the rear of the webs serving as the track parts; 

